Q: How do you store a banana plant over winter? A: Dig up the plant before temperatures dip into the 50s. Moisten the root ball (figure A) and pack it with shredded newspaper, then wrap with several whole sections of newspaper (figure B). Slip the root ball into a plastic bag, tie the bag at one end, poke a few holes in it and store the plant in the garage or even under the house (figure C). If your garage gets colder than 32 degrees, you might also want to wrap the rootball in a few layers of plastic bubble wrap. In a few weeks, the foliage and trunk or stem will turn brown, and the plant will look dead, but don't panic. Just wait until late spring or early summer next year, remove the bag and paper from the rootball and replant the plant in a sunny spot. With any luck, you'll either get the same plant to grow back or a new plant or both.
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